Brent Batten: Collier sports complex needs a name. Just one name.

You’ve seen sports where the naming rights from everything to the stadium to the ticket office to the grounds crew has been sold.

“Here we are at Big Bank Stadium, set for an exciting game between the home team and their arch rivals out there on Insurance Company Field at Big Bank Stadium. The Watch Manufacturer Scoreboard high over Insurance Company Field at Big Bank Stadium shows 0-0 but you can bet before the crowd heads for the Sports Drink Turnstiles, that will change.”

Kyle Canter swears that won’t be the case when the yet-to-be-named Collier County sports complex off Collier Boulevard opens, possibly by late next year.

Canter is Chief operating officer of Superlative Group, a Cleveland-based-firm that specializes in placing a value on naming rights and finding buyers.

Buy Photo

Brent Batten(Photo: Luke Franke/Naples Daily News)

Much of the firm’s work is with government entities such as Collier County. Governments may be good at building roads, or sports complexes, but finding sponsors and striking deals isn’t their core mission, Canter said. That’s where Superlative comes in.

The sell-every-square-inch and name-everything-that-doesn’t-move-and-some-things-that-do approach may work for professional franchises but there’s sensitivity to over-commercializing a taxpayer-supported venture, Canter explained. “There’s a point where it begins to devalue the partnership,” he said.

So, for now at least, The Superlative Group is looking for a name for the complex, and that’s it. “We’re solely focused on naming rights for the complex. That will be the most important partnership we secure,” Canter said.

County commissioners approved a $150,000 contract with Superlative in July.

Canter said the firm has been on the job, meeting with prospective partners.

No deal has been struck and he doesn’t want to name names but says Collier County is fertile ground for this sort of arrangement.

Collier County’s sports park will be the home of a national championship tournament for middle school football that in the past has been broadcast to a national audience, potentially increasing the value of the name.

While reluctant to cite a figure, Canter said the Collier complex is similar in scope to two complexes in Rockford, Illinois, that Superlative connected to a sponsor. That 10-year-deal was valued at $2 million, according to press reports.

Lee Health recently purchased the naming rights for the football stadium at Bonita Springs High School in a five-year, $300,000 deal.

Canter expects the naming process to be complete in 12 to 18 months and is optimistic Collier County and the sponsor will be pleased with the result.